Keep On Dreaming
by AcidBunny
Summary: Bella is the most popular girl in Phoenix High School. Jacob is a quiet, shy boy who is madly in love with her. Suddenly, an opportunity arises for Jacob, one he can't say no to. Jacob's POV. All human, slightly OOC.
1. Sweet dreams and opportunities

**Okay, so I suddenly came up with this story, and I could see it so clear in my head that I had to write it down. I need to have something else to write besides 'Dawn of a New Day', so I thought; Why not publish this?  
Anyway, if you like it so far, please review, it gives me the will to keep writing :) You guys are wonderful! **_  
_

_  
Isabella Swan. The most popular girl in school.  
Smart, gorgeous and funny. A true goddess walking among mortals._

_We had calculus classes together. I could always tell when she tries to solve a tough math problem. She frowns, her perfect eyebrows pushing together, and she absently chews at the top of her pen._

_I knew everything about her. Her taste in music, her favorite drink, what kind of jokes she laughs at (bad ones, always, and she's the only one laughing).  
But that doesn't matter, because she's Bella. Everybody loves her. Worships the ground she walks on._

_And me? I'm Jacob Black, her boyfriend. Handsome, party-animal. All the girls want me, but I only truly love one girl..._

"Jake! Are you coming or not?"  
My head snapped up, waking me from my daydream. I noticed that the rest of the class had already begun to pack their books, and were emerging from the classroom. My best friend Embry Call stood by my desk, done and waiting for me.  
"Yeah, I'm coming" I replied, quickly collecting my books and shoving them in my bag. Lunchtime already, huh. I must have daydreamed all morning.

From the corner of my eye I saw her stand up, slowly walking out of the classroom. I followed Embry out, heading towards the cafeteria.  
She walked a few feet in front of us, her hair swinging lightly from side to side. Embry caught me staring at her, but he only rolled his eyes at me.

She suddenly turned, walking over and embracing a incredibly handsome guy with bronze, messy hair. He flashed all of his perfect teeth to her, kissing her passionately on the lips.

I wanted to be that guy. Hell, I would trade my soul to be that guy's _friend_, standing next to them, making disgusted faces. At least I would be close to her.

Closer then I would ever be.  
Because the truth was, I loved Isabella Swan. And she didn't even know my name. There was no need for her to know it either – She was a goddess, and I was a simple mortal, a loser that only hung out with my loser friends, never went to a party, never got drunk. I was a total nobody.  
She would never even look twice at me.

"Dream on, Jake" Embry pulled in my arm, dragging me into the cafeteria.  
"_Yes, that's right. Keep on dreaming_" I thought.

---

Me and Embry sat down at our usual lunch table, where Leah, Quil, and Kim were already sitting, Leah talking and gesturing wildly. I wondered what is was she was upset about this time.

Leah Clearwater is my good friend Quil's girlfriend since a year back. Once she dated Sam Uley, who graduated last year, but he left her for another girl, Emily.  
Leah is... a special girl, to put it right. Some would call her a bitch, but I would rather label her as cynical. Or pessimistic, if you prefer that. Anyway, I don't understand how Quil could stand her.

"I swear, Mr Greene is such a pervert. You should see him look at Lauren. It's disgusting. And he gave us like this huge homework essay to write on, and school is over in a couple of weeks. That's simply _mean_" she groaned, Quil was the only one who mumbled agreeably, his eyes focused on his food.

Across the cafeteria, at the biggest table, sat Bella. She always sat there, just like me and my friends always sat at 'our' table. Next to her was Edward Cullen, his arm around her, smiling and talking to his siblings, who sat across from them - Jasper and Alice, but they weren't really his siblings. Adopted, along with two others, who graduated last year. Rosalie, the beautiful, model-looking blonde, and Emmet, the best quarterback on our school team. Crushed everyone trying to get in his way.  
Sitting next to Bella and Edward was Lauren - the girl Leah was currently talking about, Jessica, Mike, Angela and Ben. All part of the 'cool kids' (as my dad likes to put it), but of course Bella and Edward were in the center of it.

Sometimes I wonder what Edward Cullen has that I don't have.  
But as always, just as I think the thought, I remember. He's good-looking, he's rich (his father is apparently a famous doctor), drives a fast car, he's smart and most of all he's charming. The teachers love him, the parents love him, the whole darn school loves him. Well, the female part of the school anyway, guys tended to be quite jealous.  
I was too, when he pulled Bella close to him and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh for Christ's sake Jacob, when are you going to get over it?"  
Leah's words spoke to me from a far distance at first, then getting louder and louder, pulling me back to reality. I picked up my sandwich as I hadn't heard her, shrugging my shoulders as I took a bite. But of course, she couldn't drop it.

"For how long have you been in love with her?" she demanded, and the rest of the table fell silent, but giving me the usual 'just-let-her-finish' look. With Leah, those looks were often seen.

"Since I started going to Phoenix High-School, almost two years ago. So what?" I snapped at her. Quil sighed and put his face in his hands, as he usually did when me and Leah started to argue with each other.

"When are you going to realize that she's not good enough for you? She's just a stupid doll who people likes to look at, am I right Quil?" she turned and asked her boyfriend, who just nodded tiredly. He had learned a long time ago that agreeing with everything Leah said was for the best for his own personal health.  
Now, I didn't. Leah could push Quil around all she wanted, but not me. No sir.

"Not good enough for me? Are you blind? I am not good enough for _her_" I hissed.

"Guys, c'mon" Quil pleaded. Embry and Kim had turned their attention away from us a long time ago, too busy with themselves to care.  
Funny how Quil always seemed to be the third wheel, when Embry and Kim were making out and me and Leah were fighting all the time. Sometimes he ignored us, but that only happened when Jared and Paul, two guys in the year above us sometimes joined us for lunch. They were even more socially awkward than us, but Paul was so big and muscular that nobody gave them any crap.

"Please Jake, you can do better than that. Even in your fantasy" Leah snapped, and I sighed, saying nothing, eating the rest of my lunch in bitter silence.

There is a perfectly good reason why I both hated and loved Wednesdays.  
I hated it because it involved a double hour of Calculus, which was pretty okay, but quite boring after two long lessons. Somehow the school management though it was a good idea to squeeze in that extra lesson on Wednesdays.  
Anyway, the chairs and tables were uncomfortable, and Mr Anderson, our teacher, always spent the first part of the lesson going through difficult math problems on the black board.

You see, for a normal seventeen year old, that would be enough to hate Wednesday's for all eternity.  
But for me, it meant a whole extra hour of sitting a few feet away from Bella, watching her from the corner of my eye, enjoying every minute.  
So when I sat down in my seat that Wednesday, I felt pretty darn happy about it. But just that special day, fate dealt me a very sweet card.

Almost all of the students had already taken their seats, but Bella was standing in front of Mr Anderson's desk, waving a paper around. It was impossible to tell what they were talking about, as the people around us used the last minutes of lunch to chat loudly around me.

Suddenly she slammed her fist hard down at the table, and the talking stopped immediately, as Bella stormed out of the classroom, leaving everyone with their mouths hanging open.  
The teacher sighed deeply, his eyes scanning the classroom until they landed at me.

"Mr Black, will you please be so kind and go out and get Miss Swan back in this classroom. She needs to be attending these lessons I am afraid" he shook his head at me, his face apologetic.

"M-me?" I asked, feeling every single pair of eyes in the room looking at me.

Mr Anderson nodded. "I'll start the lesson anyway, but you will be excused".

I slowly rose from my seat, trying not to show everyone that my knees were shaking as I closed the door behind me.  
Bella wasn't hard to find, she was sitting almost right outside the classroom, on the floor with her back against the wall. She didn't seem to notice me, in fact the seemed furious.  
Her face where buried in her hands, and I could hear her mumbling swearwords through them angrily.

Slowly, I made my way to her. Years to come, I would still be able to remember that exact moment so painfully clearly, even though at that time I felt like I could throw up in the closest trashcan.

"Are you okay?" was the first thing that came out of my mouth. What a stupid question, really. A blind man could tell that she wasn't okay at all.

"No!" she fumed, throwing her hands in the air, like she was being defeated. "I'm failing calculus" she sighed, and her face dropped. I looked at the paper she was holding, and realized that it was a form that the parents needed to sign if a student were risking to getting a 'F' in one of the courses. Stupid school policy.

I felt unsure of myself standing in front of her while she was sitting down, so I sat down next to her, a few feet apart.  
"Isn't there anything you can do?" I asked carefully, not wanting to upset her.

"No, not really. That... _jerk_ came up to me after lunch, telling me that if I don't get at least a B on the next test, he's going to grade me with an F. And I can't get a stupid B – I've almost failed every other test in the course!" she explained, her fingers rubbing against her temple, like she had an awful headache.

"Maybe you need a tutor. What about your boyfriend?" I suggested. She shrugged indifferently, staring at the wall.

"Edward isn't much of a math genius either. He's more... I don't know, history and literature. That kind of stuff. Anyway, almost everyone I know hates math" she sighed.  
During this whole time, she didn't even look at me. I didn't blame her though – Why would she want to look at me?

"I can tutor you after school, if you like"

Really, I didn't understand why I said it. It just came out, like I couldn't stop it. Right after I suggested it, I wanted to take it back. Any moment now, she would laugh, stand up and walk away. I bit my lip while she turned her head towards me.  
"You would do that?". To my relief, she didn't seem mad. In fact, she seemed surprised, in a good way. Then she frowned. "What's in it for you?"

I blushed, and was glad that my russet-skin wasn't going to give that away.  
"Nothing. I'll do it for free" I said, trying to sound like I tutored lots of people. Which of course, I didn't.  
"Are you any good at Calculus anyway?" she asked, and now her whole torso was turned to me, looking at me as she actually was interested in what I said.

"I'm fairly sure that I will get an A" I assured her, trying to smile.

"Well then... Excellent" she smiled back at me. "What's your name?"

"Jacob. My friends call me Jake". How stupid I felt when I added that extra. Like she wanted to know what my friends call me. Was she surprised that I had any friends?

"I'm Isabella. My friends call me Bella" she smiled even wider, showing all of her teeth. My heart almost skipped a beat.  
Here I was, talking to the girl of my dreams, and even offering her help. I never thought that I could ask her anything like that, even less likely that she accepted it.  
"Alright Jacob, do we have a deal? Will you be my tutor?" she asked sounding business-like but yet cheerful, offering to shake my hand.  
"Yes" I said, and took her hand.

**I really have one problem... I don't know much about how the American school-system works :O It's very, very different from the Swedish system, so if I get a few things wrong, feel free to correct me :)  
And oh, do you have a prom at your second year of High School? I am 99% sure that you have, but I want to ask anyway ^^  
Enough said, I'll try to write more soon! /AB**


	2. Invitation

**Finally, I'm updating. Stupid writer's block mixed up with some other different factors. Shortly said, I've been having trouble concentrating.  
I got some more information regarding the American school system, and I didn't know high-school was four years! Man, that sucks. I thought it was three xD. So now I can say; Jacob and Bella is in their **_**third**_** year. Which means they're 17, right? So they're having a prom in this story. Any good high-school romance has to end with a prom, right? ^^ A special thanks to '****LuvsEmTallDarkAndHandsome****'**** who told me some lots about the school system!**

**And if you wonder, Jacob still has his long hair... For now. You'll see. He's still pretty skinny too, like he was before he turned into a werewolf in New Moon.  
Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be updating this story more often then "Dawn of a New Day", unfortunately :/ I don't know why, but I just can't figure out what's going to happen next in that story. I know it sucks. Just endure with me. **

**Anyway, hope you'll like this story!  
**

"Shit Jacob. I can't believe you actually asked Bella Swan out! That's like... holy crap!"

"I didn't ask her out. Gosh Embry, get a grip. I'm just gonna help her out for a while"

"Yeah" Embry snorted. "You're _just gonna help _her. This stuff only happens once in a lifetime. You can't just pass up the opportunity"

Embry was the first to hear about mine and Bella's talk. We stood at our lockers, picking up our homework for today. I had told him everything of course, in a low, fast voice while we walked from class. His mouth was still hanging open, and I bet I almost looked the same.

Things like this didn't happen to guys like me.  
You see, I was one of those guys who preferred going through high school unnoticed, invisible to the rest of the school. I wasn't popular, but I wasn't like the biggest loser in school either. I had friends, quite a lot of them, and most people didn't bother to get in my face.  
I also knew that I wasn't that bad looking – I'd gone to a few dates... But you know, none of the girls could take my mind off Bella Swan.

But for a guy like me actually hanging out with Bella... That was truly something. It wasn't suppose to happen – It's wrong according to the unwritten social laws of high school. Forbidden, even.  
A mortal walking straight into heaven to mingle with the angels.

Okay, that last thing sounded corny. I shook my head, closing my locker and swung my backpack over my shoulder.

"Maybe this is your chance to actually talk to her man" Embry said, his voice lower and calmer than before.

"Dude, she has a boyfriend? Forgotten that?"

"Yeah but they like... break up every other week, you know" he said, and I guess he was right. Bella and Edward had started fighting in school a couple of times, and it was always lots of drama and screaming. But of course, they always made up, and the next day they were making out by her locker. Again.

"Still, Embry. She's forbidden fruit" I sighed, walking out of the school doors and were struck by the extreme heat. Just a normal spring day in Phoenix.

"Whatever" he snorted. "Once in a lifetime, remember that" he closed the conversation, stepping into his car.

"Oh Embry... If you're gonna tell Quil, please ask him to not tell Leah" I pleaded just as he was about to close the door.

"Sure" Embry chuckled, then shook his head softly. Leah would find out eventually – she always does. And when that happens, she'll never let that go.

---

On Thursday, Bella smiled at me when I met her in the corridor. I nearly walked into someone because I turned my head almost all the way around, smiling back at her.  
On Friday, she was waiting for me by my locker. Embry followed cautiously, two steps behind me, walking to his locker that were next to mine.

"Hey" I greeted her, trying to seem cool and calm. On the inside, I was jumping around, screaming in joy. It threatened to bubble out as I quickly gathered my books, my heart beating rapidly in my chest.

"Hey you" Bella smiled at me, seeming perfectly at ease. She pulled her fingers through her hair, which was hanging free down her shoulders. I swallowed, trying not to think about how good she looked.

We had decided that we would study at her house, which was more than fine to me.  
There wasn't many people still left in school, so the parking lot was almost empty.

"I really like your truck" I commented. Her old Chevy stood out next to some of the flashier cars in the lot, faded red.

"Thanks" she smiled. "I love it – but Edward hates it. He even wants to buy me a new car".

_He wants to buy her.... a new car_. I realized my mouth was hanging open again, and I quickly closed it. That was insane.

"Why?" I asked, still shocked.

"It barely goes over fifty miles per hour" she said and frowned a bit.

"Well, that's a big flaw. I can make it go faster if you want" I said, not knowing why I kept offering my services to her. She probably thought I was being clingy.

"Do you know much about cars?" she asked, curious.

"I guess. I sort of built my own car". Okay, now I was bragging. But just a little.

"Really?" she raised both her eyebrows. "That's really cool. Maybe you can build me a new one, after my truck breaks down" she laughed, and I laughed with her, knowing that if she asked me I would do it.

As we approached Bella's house, I was surprised to see that she didn't live very far away from my house, only a few blocks away. Somehow, I had half expected her to live in a big, fancy house like a true princess. Instead, her house was pretty much like mine.

"Better get started before my mom and Phil comes home. Then I'll never be able to concentrate" she snorted, while opening her front door.

"Who's Phil?"

"My mom's new husband. My real dad lives in Forks, but I don't see him often" she explained as we walked into her kitchen. "I hate Forks. It rains ALL the time" she rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"Good thing that you live in Arizona then" I chuckled back, and she smiled.

"What about your parents? Still married?" she asked.

"No. I just live with my dad". I knew she would ask more, so I quickly added; "My mom is dead."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's okay" I shrugged. Really, I didn't remember much about her. It was worse for my two older sisters, who spent more time with her when she was alive.

"Do you want something to drink before we start?" she asked, opening the fridge. I was already sitting down at her kitchen table, rummaging through my bag for my books.

"Sure" I nodded, and she poured up two glasses of coke. "Let's see how hard math really can be".

---

After almost one hour, I had realized one thing: Bella wasn't stupid. I don't know why I ever thought that, maybe Leah's judgmental lectures had gone to my head.  
No, Bella was smart. She just needed things to be explained differently. I wonder how many people around the world failed in math just because their teachers didn't explain properly.

"I can't believe I actually understand any of this. It's so... _logical_" she smiled slightly, solving the problem all by herself.

"Yeah, it's pretty simple once you're into the pattern" I said, trying not to calm my heart down. It had been beating like crazy the whole time, and it didn't help that she sat so close to me.  
She smelled like strawberries, I guess it was her shampoo. Her arm rested next to mine, they were almost touching. I was soon going crazy.

I quickly snapped back to reality when I heard someone open the door. Bella also noticed, and she looked at the clock, frowning.

"Bella honey! I'm home!" a voice called from the hallway.

"That will be my mother..." Bella sighed, and stood up. I followed her movement.

Her mom walked into the kitchen with grocery bags balancing on her arms. She looked a lot like Bella – just with shorter, lighter hair and slightly sharper face then her daughter.

"Hello darling" she greeted Bella, then her eyes slided to me. "And who is this handsome young man?"

Bella groaned under her breath, and blushed slightly. "Mom, this is Jacob. Jacob, this is my mom, Renée".

"Nice to meet you Jacob" she smiled and shook my hand.

"Pleased to meet you too" I replied and smiled politely.

"Such a nice young boy. Does Edward know you're spending time with him?" Renée asked casually, but Bella blushed into a lovely shade of pink.

"Yes, he does. In fact, he thinks it's great. Jacob is tutoring me in Calculus you see..." Bella started, but was interrupted by her mother.

"A tutor? But you're doing fine in school....?" Renée trailed off, and an awkward silence followed. I guess Bella didn't tell her mom about the warning.

"Jacob, is it okay if we wrap things up here, and we'll continue next week?" Bella asked, trying not to look at her mother.

"Sure" I nodded, and grabbed my books. "It was nice meeting you" I smiled at Bella's mom.

"You too" she said, her eyes still fixed at Bella. She seemed quite upset.

Bella followed me to the door, and she talked quickly under her breath, so her mom wouldn't hear;  
"I'm sorry. I was going to tell her... I knew she would be mad" she sighed.

"Maybe she's just worried" I said, trying to sound hopeful.

"Yeah" she mumbled. I felt sorry for her. When parents were disappointed, things weren't good. "Anyway. Wanna meet again Tuesday? I'm spending Monday evening with Edward" she asked, and I nodded.

"Tuesday it is". I wished it didn't have to hurt so much every time she mentioned him. And I got to admit, I hated him even more when she told her mom that he thought spending time with me was good. Why did he have to be the perfect boyfriend?

I had just started walking down her driveway, when I heard her calling my name behind me.  
"Jacob! Wait!"

I turned around, my heart skipping a beat. "Yeah?"

She skittered to a halt a few feet from me, and hesitated for a few seconds before she spoke again.

"Do you party?"

**Pretty short chapter, but I at least got the next part figured out, lol :) **

**What do you think? I just love writing this sometimes. Geeky Jacob is cute.  
It's going to be a very sweet story, very much high-school romance stuff. I don't know about you, but I actually like those stories ^^  
Review, or ... something! /AB**


	3. Once in a lifetime

**Hey guys!  
Christ... It was ages since I wrote anything. And I really am truly sorry about that. I blame World of Warcraft, lol. (I've quited it now though. Again)  
Nah, seriously. I've been really busy lately. Turns out that I've been accepted to a school in Australia (!!) so I'm moving there in February. Crazy, I know. I'm still shocked.  
Anyhow, to make this up to you this is a long chapter. And I'm pretty darn pleased about it too. Enjoy :)**

_This is not happening._  
I stood in front of the mirror and was having a small heart attack, and I kept repeating in my head; _This is not happening, this isn't real, this is simply not happening._  
I was going to a party. At the Cullen's house. Bella freaking Swan invited me. _Me!_ In less than two hours I had to be there.  
_"Bring something to drink if you can"_ she'd said, and smiled so big at me that I just couldn't say no. Now I regretted saying yes so much that I felt like banging my thick head against the wall.

Seriously? Who did she think I was? Why in the world would Bella Swan invite a boring and invisible guy like me? I was a total nobody, didn't she get that?

I groaned for the hundredth time today, looking once more in the mirror.  
To be honest, I didn't look absolutely ridiculous. I had picked out a clean, fairly new, nice-looking shirt to wear that wasn't too formal. My jeans fitted perfectly, hanging loose just at the right places. I had just showered and shaved, and over all I looked acceptable.

There was just one thing that bugged me.  
I sighed, pulling my fingers through my long, coal black hair. I had let it grow for years, and it was now so long that it went way past my shoulders. Actually, me and Quil had started a competition years ago of who could last the longest without cutting our hair. Quil's hair only barely reached his shoulders when he payed a visit to the hairdresser. He claimed that it was getting in his way, but I suspect Leah was behind his sudden change of mind.

Anyway, my hair hadn't really annoyed me. Until now.  
Nothing looked good. Ponytail, or letting it hang free, didn't matter. I looked so... as I usually do. Plain and normal. Not good enough for anyone. Especially not for Bella.

I closed the bathroom door, gazing into the mirror. The only mirror in the house, and it only showed how you looked from the head to your shoulders.

_Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the ugliest of them all?_ I thought sourly.

My reflection disappeared when I opened the bathroom cabinet, searching for something to bring me out of this horrible situation.  
But in a house with just men, the selection of hair products was thin.  
I opened the cupboard under the sink, my hope shrinking each minute that ticked away, telling me I had to get going soon.

Suddenly my movements stopped. I pulled out a obvious misplaced scissor, that really belonged in the kitchen. Strange how it got here.  
I held it against the light, and the blades glimmered, blinding my eyes for a brief second.

Maybe it was a sign.  
I looked at the mirror again. How would I look in short hair? Did I really have any choice?  
It was either cutting it off or hiding it in a gigantic hat. That would probably make everyone laugh.

I didn't think twice before I started cutting.

---

"Jacob, aren't you supposed to be leaving so - " my dad started saying, but stopped when I walked into the room. His eyes went wide as he looked at my new haircut, and then he smiled.  
"You look nice, son".

"You think?" I asked, pulling my fingers through my hair for the hundredth time. It felt really weird, yet comfortable. More... practical. I spun around once, so my dad could see the back too.

"Looks very good. Even in the back" he commented, suddenly looking smug. "Any special at that party?"

I'd been very honest to my dad about where I was going. Lots of people in my age lied to their parents, but I usually told my dad everything, and this was no exception.  
I knew he would let me go, but I was surprised that he seemed so happy about it. He even offered me money to buy some nice clothes, which I politely turned down.  
I almost felt bad for the bottle of tequila I had taken from his bar and hid it under my bed.

Well, I had to bring something, didn't I? _"Bring something to drink if you can" _Bella had said.  
Besides, my dad quit drinking that kind of liquor years ago. Now it was just a casual beer while watching a game Friday night.  
So while I peeked inside the cabinet where he kept the sweet goods, the bottles were a little dusty. I searched for something good, something I recognized. Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Vodka... And then a small bottle in the far corner, with a clear liquid in it. The bottle read "Tequila" and the cork was red and in the form of a sombrero. Funny.  
It was perfect, small enough for me to smuggle it under my shirt without looking to suspicious.

Anyway, my dad's sudden smug smile made me blush, and I shrugged my shoulders a little too quick. "Not really".

"Oh" he said, clearly not convinced. I fled from the room, gathering my things. I was already late.

---

I looked at the address Bella had given me one more time.  
I had driven for almost forty-five minutes, reaching the suburbs. Glamorous houses, row after row. Huge homes, wide driveways, flashy cars. Nicely decorated gardens, the kind where a housewife dedicates her life to keep her garden tendered.

Exactly the kind of neighborhood I pictured Edward Cullen would live.

Finally, I hit the brake, looking out my window. My mouth popped open.  
The house was in the corner of the street, and the biggest. It had to be at least three stories high, the place was freaking _huge_! Big windows showed that there was lots of people inside, and I could hear the music softly beating from my car.

Right. This must be the right place.  
I collected my courage, clutching the bottle of Tequila like it was my only friend in this place.  
For all I knew, maybe it was.

My hand was sweaty as I pushed the doorbell. Could it be heard over the music?  
It seemed like it could, because a few seconds later, Edward Cullen opened.  
He wobbled slightly, holding a glass in his hands. Even if he was drunk, he looked like the perfect gentleman. Standing next to him was Lauren, having her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes were watery and distant. Seemed like I was late enough for most people to be drunk already.

"Hey!..." I trailed off, feeling incredibly stupid. "I... Bella invited me. I'm Jacob" I explained, and a light seemed to had gone on in Edwards head, because suddenly he seemed to recognize me.

"Oh yeah, Bella said you would come. Please, come in" he gestured. "Didn't recognize you with the hair" he explained.

"Yeah... Where's Bella?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent. I hoped to God that he wouldn't see right through me. I could picture him suddenly throwing his glass at me, yelling _"I'm on to you Jacob! Stay away from her!"_.

But of course, that didn't happen.  
His jaw flexed, like he suddenly became mad. "She's upstairs in my room. First door to the right" he said shortly, and then turned his back on me, walking away, Lauren hurrying after like a love-sick puppy.

Huh, that was weird. Why was Bella alone? And Lauren hanging after Edward like that?

I walked carefully up the stairs, like I was afraid to break anything. Which in fact, I was. A had a weird feeling, like when you were little and walked into a porcelain store and held your arms pressed against your sides because you didn't want to pay for a stupid plate you accidentally knocked down.

There weren't any people upstairs at all, so I relaxed a little and tried to take deep breaths. Honestly, I was afraid of what might be inside that first door to the right.  
But to my surprise, there was nobody inside.

I hesitated for a moment to take in the sight of the room.  
It looked like it belonged to someone like Edward Cullen. Neatly and modern designed, with huge windows facing out the backyard, where some people were scattered around. One wall was entirely – and it took me a few seconds to figure it out – covered with CD's and a few books. A brand new (by the look of it, at least) stereo stood against the corner. I wondered how many allowances I would have to save until I could afford a thing like that.

So, I was standing in Edward Cullen's room. The dream of every girl in school.  
The thought of that made me chuckle slightly.

"Jacob?"

I spun around so quickly and at the same time I jumped in fright, that I almost fell over. _Way to go, knucklehead._  
It was Bella, of course. Who else knew my name here, except for Edward? (Who was downstairs with another girl, when he already had the most beautiful girlfriend here, in front of me. I change my mind, he's the knucklehead).

She smiled at me. "Oh my god! You cut your hair!"

"Yeah, uh, I did" I said, trying to sound indifferent about it.

Bella was wearing a red tube dress that went wide at the bottom, ending right above the knees, a sweet looking summer dress that fitted her perfectly. I blinked a few times, like I couldn't believe that this gorgeous creature was talking to me.

"You look... cute" she giggled. My cheeks burned like I had stuck my head into an open fire, and even though I could see that she was slightly drunk (or should I say, tipsy) I felt my confidence growing by a few inches. _  
She said I was... that _I, Jacob Black_, was.... _  
Okay. Let's not over-analyze.

"Thanks" I manged to choke out. "I brought this..."  
I took out the bottle of Tequila from my back pocket and handed it to her. She reacted exactly the way I hoped, her eyes grew wide and she looked clearly impressed.

"That's _awesome!_" she beamed and I felt once again, like I had become a better, different person. "Hey, wait here, and I'll get something" she handed the bottle back to me and skittered down the stairs.

I pulled my fingers through my hair for the thousand time this evening, enjoying the feeling. It felt both a little naked and free at the same time, and it was sort of a relief that it didn't block my eyesight every other minute.

Bella was back just a few moments later, holding a tray with two very small glasses, a couple of slices of lemon and what looked like salt-cellar.  
"Let's go into Alice's room" she lead me into the room opposite of Edward's, and once again my eyes popped wide open in wonder.  
This room was different, yet as big as the other. Half of it looked like a wardrobe – there was clothes everywhere. The walls were painted pink – at least by the look of it. Drawings of dresses, tops and skirts were covering almost every inch of the room. And still, it looked... designed.

"Alice wants to be a fashion designer. She picked out the dress" Bella smiled a little, putting down the tray on the king-sized bed.

"It's pretty" I said, but I really wanted to tell her that _she _was pretty. But I knew I didn't have the guts to tell her, and I didn't know if I'd ever have them. Not even after drinking that clear water in the small bottle that suddenly felt heavy in my hand.

"I know" she replied and giggled once again. "Let's do some shooters before we head downstairs".

"Uh, I have never done tequila before" I admitted. Well, better feeling stupid now than feeling more stupid later.

"Oh, that's easy" she shrugged her shoulders and handed me one of the small glasses. "You do like this..." she poured some salt onto her hand, right between her thumb and index finger, "you take the salt first. Then you drink the tequila, all of it, and then you take a slice of lemon and suck on it while you swallow. Easy".

I just nodded, trying not to spill salt all over my hands. "I'm ready".

She raised her glass, saying; "Let's make a toast"  
I smiled. "For what?"

"For you" she smiled back, and my heart skipped a beat "and for helping me not to fail high-school" she added, and with one swift movement, she licked the salt of her hand.

Quickly, I did the same, and poured all of the liquor in my mouth at the same time. I tired not to grimace at the horrible taste in my mouth while I forced it down my throat, enjoying the sour taste of lemon that spread on my tongue. My eyes were a little watery as the tequila made it's way down my stomach, and I could really feel it all the way down.

"Whey" Bella said, and blinked a few times. "That was strong".  
It wasn't until then that I saw that she was a little red around her eyes, and her make-up had clearly been removed and re-applied. Had she been crying?  
_Mad, grumpy Edward when I had asked for Bella.  
Bella, that wasn't in Edward's room, maybe coming out of the bathroom?_

"Hey Bella, are you okay?" I asked while she was already preparing the second drink.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she tried to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Are you sure?" I hoped I didn't sound too pushy.

She sighed a little. "Actually, me and Edward had a fight just before the party started. I guess I was a little upset" she explained, not looking at me, keeping her gaze on the small glasses.

I didn't know what to say. She and Edward seem to fight a lot though, and they always made up later.

"I'm sure it will work out" and she nodded carefully. "If you don't mind me asking... What were you fighting about?"

"Nothing" she assured me, but she replied too quickly for me to believe her.

"Is it about... Lauren?" I asked, really hoping I hadn't hit the soft spot.

At first, her composed face turned into a mask of surprise, almost shock. I thought "_shit_" and tried to think of something to say that would turn the situation, but my mind was blank.  
And, to my great relief, she started laughing.

"Hahaha! Lauren? Hahaha!" she kept on laughing, while I probably looked like a question mark.  
"Lauren has been after Edward for _ages_" she explained, still chuckling. "Believe me, he hates her. And by the way... Edward prefers brunettes" she winked.

_Wow, I actually have something in common with Edward Cullen. Well, except for that we both like the same girl._

"Let's drink these up and head back to the party, shall we?" she suggested. I prepared myself mentally, so I quickly swallowed my drink this time.

---

It's a common knowledge that when you watch American high-school movies, the popular kids are always mean. All the cheerleaders are shallow bitches, and the guys are stupid jocks.  
Hey, I don't know everything, so sometimes that picture is right. But not in this case.

Well, I only talked to some of Bella's friends, but they were all nice and friendly. Especially one of Bella's closest girlfriends, Angela, and her boyfriend Ben. Those were the ones who offered to get me a beer, and asked me a few questions about myself and at the same time seemed genuine to really get to know me.

Yet, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that I had walked in on a bad time.  
Bella was constantly drinking; I was still wobbly after my two shooters, she had done four. Now she was into her second glass of something that looked like coke, but I knew that it was mixed with something else.  
Mike – one of the guys that always sits by her table – didn't take his eyes off her, and paid full attention to Bella and Bella only.  
Jessica, another one of Bella's closest girlfriends, never took her eyes off Mike, and seemed furious about that he wasn't noticing her.  
And of course, there was Edward that was standing on the other side of the living room, next to his brother Jasper, and he was also staring at Bella. Though sometimes – if I didn't imagine it – he looked at me. Lauren was still by his side too, desperately trying to get his attention by pushing out her chest and pouting her lips in a way that was supposed to be sexy.

What a mess. And I was in the middle of it all.

Suddenly, Bella wobbled slightly, like she was about to fall.  
By pure reflex, I caught her arm before even Mike could move. I caught a glimpse of Mike's clearly disappointed face before I turned my head back to Bella.

"Bella? How are you feeling?" I asked. She seemed distant – I guessed that she was very, very drunk.

"I just need some... some fresh air" she manged to slur. "The room is spinning"

"C'mon, I'll get you outside"

I led her through the crowded room and into the garden, where only one group were standing smoking.  
The garden was quite big that too, and I didn't even have the strength to be surprised over that as well. I spotted a small, wooden bench on the far corner of the lawn, next to a huge tree.  
Bella and I sat down, and she immediately put her hand over her forehead.

"Is it just me, or is the ground really spinning?" she asked, and I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"It's just you, I'm afraid"

"Oh, damn" she said, and she laughed softly before stopping abruptly. "God, I feel awful"

"Can I get you something? Water maybe?"

"No, I'll be fine" she assured me, straighting up. She turned her head to me.

"You are SUCH a nice guy" she slurred, blinking a few times, trying to focus on me. "I mean, you are... are funny... and... smart! Yeah, smart!" she smiled, like being 'smart' was the best thing a person could be.  
"Uh, thanks. You too"

She giggled, but suddenly her face changed and she got a serious look on her face.  
"Jacob" she whispered, like she couldn't rely on her own voice.

I froze.  
For a fraction of a second – the most wonderful almost-second in my life so far – I actually thought that Bella would kiss me.  
It seemed that way you see, she leaned closer to me, her eyes half-closed and everything. All of a sudden I was completely sober, and I could feel my blood rushing through me like I was having an extreme adrenaline-kick. My thoughts were all rushing through my head, screaming at me; _Now is the moment! Do something! For Christ's sake, _move_! _  
But I was paralyzed, by shock or fear I didn't know.

And then, just when I expected her to close the small distance between us, she turned her whole body the opposite way, bent over the bench... and threw up.

Oh.

And just as I heard Bella going 'bleeeeargh', I knew that I had passed up a once in a lifetime opportunity. The one Embry had talked about. The part in a movie where the main character finally gets the girl, THE moment. Ruined, passed and gone.

Damn.

---

Most guys would have made a run for it as soon as Bella started to get sick, but I stayed.  
I held her hair while she threw up basically everything she had in her stomach behind the bench. I helped her stand up – which didn't work so good. She had turned into a limp doll that occasionally mumbled stuff which I couldn't decipher. So I decided the carry her back into the house. After years of working in my garage, lifting junk, Bella didn't weigh much.  
Actually, she seemed fragile in my arms, like she was about to break.

I carried her all the way up to Edward's room, because it was the only place I could think of, and put her carefully down on the bed.  
Before I changed my mind, I also took off her shoes, hoping that she wouldn't wake up and thinking that I was trying to undress her.  
Lastly, I pulled the quilt over her so she wouldn't be cold. I also got a glass of water and after some rummaging through the Cullen's closets, I found I bucket in case she needed to puke again.

I stood for a moment and watched her. She would be alright, I was sure of that. But I just couldn't let the half-second in the garden go just yet. I wanted to cherish it and remember as much as I could before it was just another distant memory, a silly fantasy, a quick assumption made by me.

"Mmm... Edward"

I stiffened. Bella smiled in a silly way, her eyes still closed. I guess she was dreaming about him.

Even after I had seen Bella and Edward together for years, kissing and hugging and talking, nothing had hurt as much as that had.

I turned and walked out of the house, not glancing back once.

**Yeah, that's gotta suck. For both Bella and Jacob really. Being too drunk... No fun.  
I've got most of the story figured out, so all I've got to do is sit down and write it. If you liked it (or hated it), feel free to leave a small review. I love every review I get and I read them all. /AB**


	4. When life gives you lemons

**Okay guys, I am finally updating. I know, I am the worst updater ever :( Feel free to come home to my small apartment and slap me in the face. Lol.  
Well, at least I made it to Australia, hooray for me. I've started school too, and life is really floating along pretty nicely for me :) I do miss my family and friends in Sweden though. Moving on your own to the other side of the word (really, it is) is pretty tough. Good thing there's Internet. (God I love the Internet)**

**Oh well, hope you enjoy this chapter, the next one is coming up when I have time... Which I may actually have, if the weather in Brisbane is bad.  
Also, thank you for the reviews you give me even though I am so slow :) I love you guys.**

Monday morning.

The worst day of the week. Hated all over the world. And it was about to get worse.

As Taylor Swift's voice poured out of the radio that Monday morning I just wanted to crawl under the covers and not wake up until I was out of high-school.

_"You lift my feet off the ground, you spin me around..."_ before she could get any further my hand shot up and hit the "snooze" button. The room fell into a wonderful, dark silence.

"Jacob! Are you up yet?" my dad's voice called from downstairs.  
So much for silence.

"I'm up!" I called back, my voice hoarse from sleeping.

I stumbled out of bed, flinching as I turned on the lights in the room.  
My whole body felt like it was screaming "go back to bed!" at me, and my mind was dead tired. I hadn't slept well at all.  
All night my mind had been going on and on about today. Going back to school. Seeing Bella. Or worse yet, talk to her.

I wondered if she even remembered anything. Hopefully she didn't. If she did, the embarrassing moment between us wasn't only my problem anymore, but her's too.  
During the rest of the weekend I'd been doing my best to forget that tiny second of bliss where I thought that Bella would kiss me. Sure, it had been one of the greatest moments in my life, but it was a painful memory. Especially after I'd seen her talk her in sleep right afterwords, smiling and mumbling "Edward". She probably thought that he'd been the one who carried her inside and taken care of her.

_Well, too bad it wasn't_, I thought sourly while putting my clothes on.

Funny that I've seen Bella and Edward together for almost two years now, kissing in the corridors, holding hands, whispering tender words to each other in class. And none of that, _nothing_, had hurt so much or made me more jealous then one name Bella had slurred in her drunken slumber.

Just the memory of that moment made my face feel hot, and I was embarrassed and humiliated all over again.  
_Stupid, stupid Jacob._

Leah had been right all along. Bella and I didn't fit together. I wondered why I even had thought about it. It was ridiculous to even think that she would be interested in me. I bet she would laugh at me if she knew.

Well, I still had to spend time with her. She still had a test to pass, and I had promised to help her. But that's final, I decided. I was just going to focus on calculus from now on, and after the final test in three weeks, life would go back to normal.

Sigh. 'Normal' depended on how much she remembered of our almost-kiss at the party.

_Please, PLEASE_ _don't let her remember_, I prayed silently the whole way to school.

---

I didn't see Bella as I scurried across the parking lot, the sun burning on my back even if it was early morning. I scanned the corridor where my locker was, not seeing her there either. It was crammed with people chatting about their weekends before the first classes was about to start, so I just cruised silently through the crowd to my locker, where Embry was standing. He waved at me as I approached him.

"Hey Jacob, you look awful man" he said.

"Good morning to you too" I replied, trying to smile as nothing was wrong.

"I'm serious. You look like shit"

"I couldn't sleep. Too hot" I lied.

"Darn that global warming" Embry chuckled, and I instantly joined him. However bad I may feel, Embry knew how to cheer me up.

"So... How was the Cullen's? Were you accepted into their creepy cult? Did they make do some sort of ritual to become one of them, the oh-so-cool popular kids?" Embry teased.

This time I didn't laugh at his joke.  
"The party was okay, if that's what you wanna know"

"Okay... So, did anything happen? You know..."

"No, nothing happened" I replied shortly.  
Embry knew me all to well to ask anymore questions.

---

The bell that rang to tell it was lunchtime woke me up from my state of half-sleep I was in all morning. Embry had to push me a couple of times throughout the morning, as my eyelids dropped and my head rested heavy against my cupped hand.

But as soon as everyone started to head for the cafeteria, I was alert and wide awake. My mouth went dry and I started sweating as we entered the noisy room.

My eyes quickly darted from side to side in the room, though I saw almost immediately that Bella's table gaped empty. Even Edward Cullen wasn't there.

"Looking for somebody?" Embry grinned at me, and I could feel myself relaxing. The coast was clear. I wouldn't have to talk to Bella today. Tomorrow, maybe. But as my father always said; That day, that sorrow.

Just as I was thinking that, someone tapped me gently on my shoulder.  
I turned around, not prepared to see Bella standing in front of me, smiling.

Oh shit.

"Hey" she said, still smiling. I was probably staring at her like a complete idiot, but I couldn't move the muscles in my face anymore.

"Err... Hey" I managed to mumble.

"You wanna sit with me today? I... need to talk to you" she said, and I noticed that she seemed nervous. That wasn't a very good sign, was it?

I just nodded at her, still unable to speak. I was barely noticing what I was doing, I just grabbed my tray and followed her across the room to an empty table in the back.  
I turned my head and saw Embry wink at me while he walked alone to our usual table, where Leah and Quil were already sitting.

Oh shit. Again.

I quickly looked away before they could meet my eyes, and walked over to the table with a sense of that I was walking to my own funeral.

Bella would probably confront me now, in front of half the school, out in the public. I would be humiliated, embarrassed, a laughing stock. Rumors here spread as fast as forest fires.

"Jacob, I am so, _so _sorry!" Bella suddenly blurted out before I even had a chance to sit down first.

"Huh?"

She sighed slightly and slumped down on the chair. "I totally just left you alone at the party after those shooters" she said and shuddered at the thought. "I barely remember anything after that, and when I woke up after god knows how long, you were gone".

I just stared at her.  
_Jacob, you are one lucky son of a bitch._

"So... You don't remember anything after we went downstairs?" I asked, still can't believing what I was hearing. Bella shook her head, her face worried.  
A wave of relief washed over me, and it was a wonderful feeling. _Thank you, God_.

"I only remember fragments... I had blackouts all night. The last thing I remember is that the ground was spinning, and someone led me outside. Then it's all... dark. Until I woke up, and almost everyone was gone. Including you" she smiled a sad half-smile. "Was that you who lead me outside?"

"Yeah, I did" I said, trying to keep my voice neutral.

"Thanks" she said quietly. "Can you forgive me?"

Stupid question. "Of course! I mean, I had a nice time. Your friends Ben and Angela are really nice" I added.

Bella cheered up like a kid in a candy store. "Thank god! I was worried that you thought that I was a horrible, evil person. And a drunk. Which I am not" she laughed nervously. "And I heard that Angela liked you a lot. She agrees with me, you're an angel for helping me with my calculus".

"I like helping people" I answered. Okay, that sounded stupid. I like tutoring the girl that I am helplessly in love with, in a subject that I know I'm good at. That sounded more accurate.

"Oh, by the way, before I forget to ask you... When I woke up later that night, someone had put me to bed, taken care of me. That someone must have carried me upstairs, because I don't remember walking. Did you do that?" she asked, her face unreadable.

This was the question I had dreaded would come up in our next conversation. And I had already decided to lie.

"Nope. That must have been Edward, I think I saw him carry you" I said, repeating the line I had been saying in my mind all weekend.  
I know – Lying is bad. Especially like this, lying straight in someone's face. But what choice did I have?  
If I had told her the truth, she would have wondered why I, just a random guy from her grade, would go through the trouble of taking care of her while she was drunk (and not even take advantage of her state, so to say). And I didn't have an answer to that. At least not an answer that I wanted to share with her.  
So instead, I told a lie. Who cares?  
Bella would get an answer to her question, and she would be satisfied by hearing that it was her dreamy boyfriend, Edward that had come on his white horse (or should I say, silver Volvo) and saved her. Everybody is happy. The end.

"Oh..." she seemed to be thinking this over. "Yeah, that's probably right."  
I could feel myself relax a little more by each second. I even took a bite on my sandwich, while Bella opened her diet coke.

We ate in silence for a few minutes, until I noticed that she was looking at something behind me. Before I could turn around and see for myself what it was, she smiled at me and said;

"I think your girlfriend doesn't like me very much"

Good thing that I had finished my drink already, because my mouth popped open in sheer surprise. Bella just giggled at me, and I closed my mouth before I turned around.

Ah, great.  
Leah was staring at us, and the quote "if looks could kill..." went past my mind. Seriously, her look would even had scared Charles Manson.  
I had never seen her so hateful, so mad before in the entire time I had known her. And I had known her since I was like, two years old.

"Sheez not my gfnd...." I tried to speak with my mouth full of food, still staring with horror at Leah, who was now staring back at me. I swallowed.  
"She's not my girlfriend" I clarified.

"Oh" Bella said, and I hated how surprised she sounded. "I thought..." she started, but stopped short.

"Leah is Quil's girlfriend, the guy who is sitting next to her, poking her in the side" I explained.

"Oh" she said again, and smiled. "I thought you two had something going on"

"Nu uh. Not a chance"

"So... Is there someone else then?" Bella asked and grinned at me.

My heart almost stopped for the second time today. In this rate, the risk of me getting a heart-attack at the age of seventeen seemed a lot more likely.

"No"  
Unfortunately, answered too quickly, blushing at the same time. I could have just stuck a post-it on my forehead that read; LIAR.

"Oooh, there is one!" Bella giggled like a, well, girl. "You can tell me, I promise I will keep it a secret". She turned her head and scanned the cafeteria like she was looking for an obvious clue.

Jeez. She didn't have to look that far.

"As I said, there is nobody" I really tried to sound indifferent.

"Don't worry, I'll find out sooner or later anyway" she said, overly confident, like it was obvious that one day, she would actually find out.

_Let's hope you don't._

"Well, class starts soon" Bella pointed out, and I looked at my watch. Ah crap, she was right. "I'm seeing Edward today, we have some stuff to sort out. But I'll see you tomorrow? How about we go to your place this time?"

"Huh?"

"Your place, tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah, sure" I answered, still quite dazed.

Bella smiled at me, and I smiled back, while a small and annoying voice in the back of my head said; _Bella Swan in my room? PANIC!_

Okay. Chill down. It was going to be fine.  
And at that moment when Bella was smiling at me, I believed it.

---

The rest of the day went by in a blur. I didn't even know where I was and what I was doing half of the time, since my mind was already racing about tomorrow.  
That's why, when I was walking to my car, I didn't see them until it was too late to turn around and run in the opposite direction.

Leah was standing by my car, and she was really, really pissed off. And that's to put it nicely. Quil was there too, with a big frown on his face. Embry and Kim were standing a bit away, Embry mouthed "you're fucked" when I got closer.

_Thanks for the support._

Leah remained silent until I reached my car and tried (in vain) to open the door.  
"WHAT exactly do you think you're doing, Jacob Black?"

"Well, Leah, I'm trying to get into my car and drive home. You're kind of in the way" I remained calm, looking at her like I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Just answer me this one question, okay?"

I sighed. "Fine"

"Does she pay you?"

Okay, crap. I didn't answer, I just looked at her.  
"Oh. My. GOD!" Leah threw her hands up in the air and yelled.  
I guess she took that as a no.

"Jacob, don't you realize that she's taking advantage of you?" Leah hissed.

"Actually, I don't. I offered my help, and she accepted it. Bella is really nice, once you get to know her"

"Yeah, _right_" she snorted. In the corner of my eye, I saw Quil roll his eyes. He looked pretty mad himself. Oh please, him too?

"Since when did you start be the boss of me, Leah?" I asked, my voice cold.

"Don't be stupid Jacob. I'm just trying to be a good friend"

"How about you stop nosing around in my personal business, then we can talk about friendship, okay?" I tried to finish the conversation there, opening my car door at the same time, but Leah pushed the door closed again, nearly cutting off my fingers in the process.

Okay. Now I was mad too.

"Leah, _stop it_!" I growled at her.

"_Both of you, stop it_!" Quil suddenly yelled, making Embry and Kim jump from their safe spot.  
"I am SO sick and tried of you fighting all the time! It's ridiculous!" Quil fumed. "You might as well go on and admit that you love each other!"

The word "shocked" didn't describe the look well enough on Leah's face. I must have looked pretty much the same, I was totally and utterly speechless. I thought I heard Embry mutter something like "oh crap..." before Leah stuttered;

"Quil... You can't be serious"

"Leah, people actually think that you and Jacob are dating, okay? How do you think I feel about that, huh?"

At those words, I blushed, only giving more fuel to Quil's agony. Mine and Bella's last conversation flashed in my head, though I knew that Quil couldn't possibly had heard us. That's got to mean that more people assumed what Bella had, which plain sucked.  
Crap, crap, crap.

All of my anger had vanished, and Leah herself looked like she was going to break down in tears any second, so I jumped in my car quickly. Nobody stopped me, and when I drove away, I glanced back at the scene I had just left. Quil and Leah was standing at the exact same spot, staring at each other.

This was not good.  
I drove home feeling even worse then I had this morning.

**Okay, not I really need to go to bed before I faint on the keyboard. I've been in Australia for a week and I still have jetlag Òó. Stupid time-difference is killing me. **

**Review if you like and I'll try to write more as soon as possible. I promise. ^^ /AB**


	5. Crash and confess

**As a treat to you guys, I'm updating my story, pretty quick considering me :)**

**I 've worked hard on this chapter, but so far I think that it's worth it. It's been raining almost every day here in Brisbane now, so I've had a lot of free time on my hands ^^ Thank the rain-gods! Or something...**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this delicious, long chapter! :D**

Awkward didn't even begin to describe the situation at school the next day.

Embry waited for me at out lockers as usual, but he didn't talk much. Neither did I.  
Both of us walked slowly to the cafeteria when we had our lunch break, deliberately dragging our feet after us, like we both hoped that we'd never reach our goal. Unfortunately, we did.

Leah and Quil were already there, both looking grim. They weren't talking. Kim was sitting next to Leah, and she looked relieved when she spotted Embry with me. I sighed.

"I'll sit somewhere else today, okay?" I told Embry. He frowned at me.

"Is that really necessary, Jacob?"

"I need to give Quil and Leah some space to sort this out" I explained, and that was the end of it. Actually, I needed to put some space between me and Leah for at least a couple of days. Plus, eating with them would be way too weird.

So instead I picked a vacant table and sat down, sighing heavily. Eating alone wasn't going to be the best part of my day, that's for sure. But that wasn't the worst part.

Bella wasn't in school.

Edward Cullen sat at the center table though, surrounded by his usual companions.  
Now, Edward always looked slightly bored and/or sullen too me, but today he seemed even more sulkier then normal.

What was wrong? Why couldn't things, for once, go the way I wanted? Why did everything had to be so freaking _complicated?_

Suddenly I felt like throwing my lunch at someone.  
This was so typical my luck. Not only were half of my friends pissed off at me for no obvious reason, but the girl I was in love with, who was supposed to meet me today, didn't show up.  
Splendid. Fucking brilliant.

The rest of the day dragged by, and when it was finished, I longed to go home and sulk in my room. Which by the way, was spotless clean, since I kind of expected company today. What a waste of time.

I hurried outside to avoid talking to anyone, even Embry. I'd been quick; most of the school were still inside the building, grabbing their homework.  
So I was surprised to see a person standing by my truck.

For a second I thought it was Leah, and I was mad all over again. _Oh, what NOW?_ I thought angrily, gritting my teeth. I wasn't in the mood for this, god damnit.

Then she looked up, and I saw that I was clearly mistaken.

It was Bella.

O-kay. I sure as hell didn't see that one coming.  
Surprised but glad, I walked up to her and wondered if my luck had turned for the day.

And then she looked at me, and I knew something was wrong.  
She looked absolutely broken down. Her bottom lip was quivering slightly, like she was going to start sobbing any minute. Her eyes were filled up with tears already, and her arms were crossed around her chest, like she was trying to hold herself together desperately.

My heart sank.  
Yes, I was glad to see her. I was glad that she showed up after all. But seeing her like this was breaking my heart.

"What's wrong?" I asked the second I came up to her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. Then she shook her head and said in a small voice; "bad day. Don't want to talk about it" she cleared her throat, then said a little loader; "let's just get going, shall we?"

I just nodded and opened the door for her. For a second I found myself wondering how she had gotten to school, but I decided it wasn't the time to ask.

After we had driven in silence for five minutes, I already had a good guess of what had happened to Bella. It didn't take a Sherlock Holmes to figure it out, either. But Bella said it out loud anyway.

"Edward and I broke up yesterday"

Even though I was 99% sure of it a minute before, my heart fluttered in my chest like a small hummingbird.  
I know it was selfish of me to be glad about this, yet I couldn't help it. I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible until I had composed my feelings.

"I'm sorry" I said, because I couldn't think of something better to say at the moment.  
We were silent for a couple of more minutes, until I had gathered enough courage to ask the next question.

"What happened, if I may ask?" I tried to sound as soft as possible.  
Bella sighed. "We had a fight. A bad one. We yelled some... And yeah, things went downhill from there" she sniffled a little, and I glanced at her nervously. The last thing I wanted was her to start crying.

"But hey, you guys seem to fight a lot. Maybe you'll be okay?" I tried to sound reassuring, but I guess it was a little weak since I didn't really mean it. Oops. Selfish moment again.

"I don't think so" she said, her voice hoarse. "We said some really awful things. But I don't know. I don't know anything at the moment" she sounded completely and utterly defeated.

I really just wanted to hug her, but that was impossible (and stupid) since I was driving at the same time, so I reached out and patted her on the shoulder instead. I really tried to sound reassuring and hopeful this time.

"It'll be okay. You'll see"

"Thanks, Jacob" Bella said and actually smiled a little. I felt much warmer at heart then.

Just about then, we reached my small house. As we pulled up on the driveway I noticed a familiar car already there. Oh, just great.  
It was the Clearwater's truck, and for a split second I wondered if Leah was lurking somewhere in my house. Then I remembered that Harry, Leah's dad, often came to visit my dad.  
Well, hopefully he didn't know that Leah hated me at the moment.

And oh, remember when I said that I told my dad everything?  
Well, that didn't include my love life, so to speak. So yeah... My dad didn't know about Bella. I think he'd already figured out that there was someone at school I liked, except he didn't know exactly who that person was.

As Bella and I walked up to my front door I thought that it might had been a good idea to tell him that I would bring home a girl, but it was too late for that now. I had a feeling I would regret it.

"Dad! I'm home" I called out, hoping that he would only yell back, and not actually come and greet me. Wishful thinking.  
My dad, Billy Black, emerged in front of us, followed by Harry Clearwater.

"Hey Jacob! You didn't tell me you were bringing home company" my dad smiled wide at Bella, who smiled back. "And she's pretty, too!"

"Dad" I said stiffly, giving him a warning look. But Bella blushed and laughed happily, walking over to my dad.

"Hi, my name is Bella. Nice to meet you, Mr Black" she offered her hand, and my dad took it.

"Please, call me Billy. It's nice to meet you too, Bella".

Harry introduced himself to Bella as well, and then we all just stood there for a couple of seconds.  
_Wow, this is awkward._

My dad and Harry started to give each other winks right in front of me and Bella, so I spoke almost in panic:

"Well, let's go up to my room to study then?"

It was with a great relief that we left my dad and Harry standing in the hallway when we headed upstairs. Hopefully they would have it in their right minds to stay away from my room for the rest of the time Bella was here.

My room wasn't big or fancy like Edward Cullen's. It was pretty small, with a bed, a small sofa and a study desk with a computer that took most of the space.  
But I've always thought of it as pretty cozy, and now when it was clean it did seem quite welcoming.

"Is this okay? We could go down to the kitchen, if you want?" I asked Bella. I hadn't even thought about that, but a minute ago it had seemed like a good idea to escape the two sport-nerds downstairs.

But Bella just shook her head and smiled. "This is perfect"

---

After sitting on the floor for a couple of minutes, trying to solve some of the math problems we had gone through earlier this afternoon, when Bella hadn't been in school, I noticed that she clearly wasn't paying any attention.  
I couldn't blame her, either. Those last two days had been hard on her, and she looked like she hadn't been sleeping well, either.

"Do you wanna do something else?" I asked, quite frankly when she had been staring at the same number on her paper for more than a minute.

"I'm sorry" she said.

"Hey, it's okay. But really... Do you wanna do something else?"  
I had no idea what we could do instead, but I was prepared do to anything to cheer her up from her miserable mood. Really, anything.

"Hm" she said, thinking it over. "What's there to do around here?"  
"Well..." I trailed off, trying to come up with something good. "There's always movies we could watch, or we could go into town and see what's up there". Yes, I was horrible at this. She didn't look to interested in any of the suggestions, but suddenly a crazy idea popped up in my head.  
It was a long shot, but it might work.

"Hey Bella, remember when I told you that I built my own car?" I asked, hoping she would see where I was going. She nodded, looking confused.  
"Well, in my free time, me and my friend Embry also build... motorcycles"  
It took her a second to get it, but when she did she perked up like a kid in a candy store.

"Really? That is awesome" she exclaimed, and without any further discussion, she slammed her math book shut.  
_Wow. I can't believe it actually worked._ I thought, feeling quite pleased with myself. The person who said that girls wasn't interested in bikes needed a slap in the face.

In less then two minutes later, we were outside, walking to my garage.  
My garage wasn't really a place to park my car, instead I spent hours and hours in there, working on different stuff. My car had been a long project, but I'd worked hard on it and gotten it finished pretty quick.  
I hadn't actually been in there for a couple of weeks now, since I'd had my mind on other things. And loads of homework on top of that.

But it was still crammed with the usual work tools, and the two bikes still stood leaned against one of the walls. I was surprised Bella spotted them almost immediately amongst all the clutter lying around.

"Wow! Did you really build them all by yourself?" she clapped her hands together and smiled so widely that I stuttered when I answered her.

"Eh, well I... Me and Embry... Ah, I got help"  
Apparently Bella didn't care, because she was eying the bikes like it was a precious Picasso-painting. Which believe me, they weren't. Me and Embry had spent hours by the garbage dump, sorting out stuff that we could use. Only a small piece of those bikes had been paid for by our own money.  
But they were newly painted, since we finished them only a month earlier. To be honest, they didn't look too bad.

"Let's load them onto my truck. I know the perfect place to go" I said and smiled.

---

I didn't know why nobody used that parking lot, but it was empty as usual when I turned onto the huge cement field and pulled to a stop at random. It really didn't matter, since nobody was here anyway, right?  
I've had my suspicions that since this was in the middle of a industrial area, there was so few people here that they didn't need the huge space created for them.  
Anyhow, it was a perfect place to learn how to ride a motorcycle. I've had loads of practice here.

"Aren't they heavy?" Bella asked when I carefully unloaded the bikes from my truck.  
I just shook my head. She could only imagine how many times I'd lifted these pieces of junk around my garage.

She was still smiling widely when I showed her how they worked. I'd loaned her my bike, since I knew Embry would be mighty pissed off if something happened to his, and that was the last thing I needed right now.  
These bikes weren't exactly huge, and they didn't go that fast. But when a delicate girl like Bella was wobbling on the bike, trying to find balance while sitting on it, I was a little worried.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" I asked nervously after showing her the crucial things she needed to know, like where the gas and brake was.  
She didn't even look at me, but kept her eyes in front of her. "Yeah, of course. How do I start this thing?"

"You kick-start it, right there..."

After a few tries, she did really kick the engine going all by herself. I had to admit that I was impressed.  
She yelled something right before she shot away like a bullet, and it sounded like;

"Edward would have never let me do anything like this!"

Hm. I didn't know if I liked the sound of that, but she was already off, picking up speed fast. Soon she would be at the end of the parking lot, and either she needed to brake or turn. Or she could just continue, and crash right into the closest building.  
Now, I was sure I didn't like the sound of _that_.

"Bella! Brake!" I yelled to her, hoping that she would hear me through the roar of the engine.

Unfortunately, she did.  
She took my advice a little too far, and braked to hard it seemed like she put her whole weight in it. Yes, it was a stupid thing to do, but not uncommon with people riding a motorcycle for the very first time. In some cases, like this, they panicked.

I watched in horror while Bella stopped with so much force that she flew off her bike like a ragdoll being tossed away, and slammed into the ground with a thud. The bike's engine was cut dead, and everything went silent.

"Bella?" I yelled, my voice going up in falsetto. "Bella?"  
No answer.

_Holy crap. I killed Bella Swan._

Then I could hear her groan, and I snapped back into reality. Quickly, I kick-started Embry's bike and drove away to where Bella was lying.  
"Bella! Are you okay?" I ran over to her, dumping Embry's bike on the ground, not caring at the moment if it got dirty.

She sat up slowly, blinking a few times. I realized that she must had hit her head, and quite badly too. In all the excitement a couple of minutes before, we had forgotten helmets. God damn, that was so stupid.  
"Are you okay?" I repeated.

"Yes" she said, though I didn't believe her. "That was... AWESOME! Can I go again?"  
I just stared at her, not quite believing my ears. Then I looked at her head.

"Bella, you're bleeding". Her hands shot up to feel her forehead, and she seemed to have scraped her elbows at well, and her jeans had big holes on her knees. Big, bloody, holes.

"You're bleeding everywhere!" I exclaimed, though that wasn't quite right either. But Bella's face turned white, then green.

"I - ..." she started, but stopped and swallowed.

"We need to get you to a hospital"

"No!" That seemed to snap her out of it. "I'm fine, I really am. Just a little... blood" she closed her eyes and breathed hard. Suddenly, I got the hint.

"Can't stand the sight of blood?" I asked, but it was more of a statement than a question.

"Or smell" she added, and I thought that was quite weird. Smell?  
Oh well. Without thinking twice, I scooped her up in my arms and carried her back to my truck. She mumbled some half-assed protests at first, but then her mouth went into a thin line, and she leaned her head on my chest, concentrating breathing through her mouth.

I experienced some mixed emotions, like worry, excitement and happiness. I think I was having some sort of adrenaline rush, because I could hear my pulse in my body, and my heart was pumping ridiculously fast.  
Bella's hair tickled my chin, and I could smell her lovely shampoo – strawberries? - so I was quite happy about that.  
But I was worried about her, though I told myself that she would be fine - she was at least breathing and talking. And a stupid thought popped up in my head – _My shirt is going to be bloody_. I shook my head then, carefully putting Bella in the passengers seat.

In the last second, I remembered the bikes. I cursed, and turned the car around to get them.  
"I'll be right back" I told Bella, who was getting paler at the very moment.  
In a hurry, I loaded the bikes on my truck, not being very careful about it. Embry could beat me up later, if he wanted.

A couple of months ago, I'd had a nasty cold. So I still had a package of tissues in the car, which I handed to Bella to use to press on the wound instead or her hand. She thanked me, and then we both fell into silence.

Even if I drove as fast as I could (not too fast though, I didn't want to be pulled over by a cop), it would take at least twenty minutes to get to the nearest hospital from here. Every other minute, I shot a glance at Bella to see how she was doing.

"Bella? Are you awake?"  
"Yeah" she croaked.

"Good. Because if you have a concussion, you're not supposed to fall asleep, I think" I babbled.

To my surprise, she smiled a little.

"Well, it's your job to keep me awake then, silly"

I smiled back at her. "Well then, is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

She seemed to be thinking that over. Then she said; "Yes, actually it is"

"Uh, okay. What?" I asked, curious.

"Well, when me and Edward fought yesterday..." she began to explain, and I nodded at her to encourage her to continue. "... I asked him about something, and I was quite surprised about his answer".  
I frowned. What was she talking about?

"I was mad at him, so I asked why he even had bothered to take care of me at his party. He said that he hadn't bothered, at all" she snorted. "He said that he had seen you carry me upstairs"

I could feel my heart sink in my chest. My hands cramped around the wheel as I tried to gain control over my emotions again. Hopefully my face stayed blank and unreadable during those two quit seconds, I was certainly trying my best to keep it that way.

"Yeah, it was me" I said, and then added; "I'm sorry"  
For most people in this situation, 'I'm sorry' generally means 'I'm sorry you found out, not that I lied to you', but I was really regretful. It had been wrong to lie to Bella, and I should have told her right away, no matter how embarrassing it had been to tell her.

"It's okay" she said after a moment. "I'm not mad at you, I just want to know why you lied"

One thing you could say about Bella was that she could be very frank.  
And for a split second, I almost told her everything. It was on the tip of my tongue, and at that moment I wanted to tell her so badly that I was in love with her.  
But I bit my lip and kept my mouth shut, because it wasn't the right moment. Not when she had just broken up with her boyfriend, and now was bleeding in my truck, on a busy road. Bad, bad idea.

"It just seemed... Easier" I told her, struggling to pick the right words. "I didn't want to screw things up between you and Edward"  
Well, it wasn't entirely a lie. It was a half-lie, okay? Don't judge me.

I was startled when she gave up a little dark, desperate laugh, and I shot her a puzzled look.

"Yeah well, I might as well tell you know, since I think you do have the right to know" she said. "Edward is... A jealous type of guy. Some girls find that attractive, and I did too" she sighed a little. "But when it all comes down, it's quite annoying. He was constantly trying to tell me what to do and who I should spend time with. For example, I wasn't allowed to do anything that might hurt me -" she gestured at her head "- and when he told me that I shouldn't hang around with you... Well, that was the drop too much, so to speak"

What?  
I couldn't have been more surprised if she had told me that her parents had been abducted my aliens.

"To sum it up: Edward told me to stop seeing you, which in my case I will fail Calculus, and I told him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud, the thought of Bella saying that was just too hilarious. And to my pleasure, Bella joined me, and we both laughed for a little while.

We arrived at the hospital a minute later, and I helped Bella out of the car, feeling better then I had felt all day. I was more then pleased that when we got into the hospital, we were shown to a room pretty fast. Perhaps it was because Bella whimpered in the waiting room, looking pale like a ghost. When the nurse came, she winked at me, so I knew that she was really doing okay.  
I followed her inside the bare, white room, determined to stay at her side until we left this place.

I hated the naked walls and sterile environment in hospitals, but Bella seemed calm. It looked like her bleeding had finally stopped, but the tissues were all a pretty color of pink now.  
The door croaked open, and I gawked at the doctor who came in.

He was a tall, blond and handsome man in his thirty-fives, forties. I thought that he looked more like a model or an actor instead of a doctor. Perhaps he could be the next addition in the _Grey's Anatomy-_series, I bet that he would give Mc Dreamy a run for his money (yes, I listen way to much to Leah's rants about her latest TV-fix).  
Also, he looked strangely familiar...

"Hello Carlisle" Bella smiled quite nervously at the doctor, and I got a closer look at his name-tag.  
It read; "_Dr Cullen_"

Holy smokes. Well, that explained a bit. It was Edward Cullen's father.

"Hello Bella. I heard you were here so I thought I might come over and examine you myself" Dr Cullen flashed a brilliant, white smile at Bella. It was easy to see where Edward got his charms from.

Bella herself was smiling, but I could see that it was quite strained. Then Dr Cullen turned his gaze to me.  
"And you are Bella's friend, I suppose?" he asked.

Since I hated to be rude, I offered my hand. Dr Cullen took it. "I'm Jacob Black, nice to meet you sir"

His hand was strong and warm, and he smiled at me quickly before turning his full attention to Bella. I could only imagine how awkward this situation was to her.

She was still playing it cool though, and when Dr Cullen asked her what had happened, she said;  
"Oh, it's so silly really - " she chuckled lightly, "- I tripped on a tool in Jacob's garage, he builds cars you know, and I fell on some stuff that hurt pretty bad"

It was so painfully obvious that she was lying that I turned my head away and looked at the wall, trying to keep my face straight.  
"Mhm" Dr Cullen murmured, but he didn't ask anything more. Even when he put some bandages on Bella's knees and elbows, he didn't even raise an eyebrow. Either he was a pretty cool doctor, or he simply didn't care how it happened. I wondered slightly if he would report back to Edward later.

It turned out that Bella's wounds were very shallow, and that they would heal in two weeks. I could see her silent relief – The prom was in about four weeks, and nobody wanted a bandage on their forehead on the big night.

I thought a little about prom while we were walking back to the car in silence. Should I go, or stay home? I'd ask Embry, Leah and Quil if they were going, but right now that was kind of tricky.  
Oh well. It was still a couple of weeks left until I had to worry about it. No big deal.

I drove Bella home, stopping about two houses from her home just as we'd agreed, in case her mom saw the bikes.

"Thank you" she said. "For everything. I'm sorry I freaked you out"

"No problem" I shrugged, still a little shocked after learning the fact that Bella and Edward had fought... About me. So weird.

"Let's keep focused on math for at least the next weeks, alright?" she smiled. I smiled back, liking how she said '_at least_', like we could continue seeing each other after the Calculus test in less then three weeks. I hoped intensely that she really meant it.

She shrugged happily, like she never had just experienced a quite violent bike crash, and jumped out of the car.  
"See you tomorrow Jake!" she called and waved before she disappeared behind a gate. I waved absently, still quite dazed.

I wondered if it was tacky for me to say that this had been one of the best days of my life.

**Oh yes, things are getting quite interesting now with all the cards on the table, eh? I am totally in love with Jacob in this story, if that's even possible xD Hopefully you guys are too!**

**Well, review if you liked it (or not), I love reviews 3 And more will come soon, too! /AB**


	6. Coffee and war

**Down under calling! I've been pretty busy with my new life in Australia, though school is the least of my worries now. Oh well. When life gives you lemons... You squeeze them in people's eyes! (That is the correct saying... Right? Guys? Oo) **

**No, but seriously. Here's a chapter for you guys to read, and it's pretty short, but it's like a small taste of what's going to happen. Next chapter is going to be long, delicious and hopefully great (I've been plotting on it forever). So you hang in there, and I'll try my best to deliver it as fast as possible. Oh, enjoy this first maybe.**

After that day, everything changed.

I don't really now why, but it did anyway.

I sat with Bella and her friends now during every lunch. The table had been divided into two groups; Me, Bella, Ben, Angela, Jessica and Mike sitting on one end of it (though I suspected Mike loathed me, and only sat with us so he could get closer to Bella). Then there was Edward Cullen, his two siblings, Lauren and a couple of people I don't know the name of that sat at the other end of the table. Both groups ignored each other politely, and I was surprised how Bella handled her break-up with Edward.

Too be honest, I'd imagined that they would talk and then make up, like they usually do, but this time it seemed to be final (and I couldn't be more thrilled about it).  
She basically just ignored him completely, and never even mentioned him to anyone. Served him right, since I heard that he was now going out with Lauren. Edward seemed to be quite mild about his feelings for his new date, but Lauren was purring like a cat being scratched behind the ear anyway. I just thought the whole thing was comical and I didn't understand why anyone would want to date a scarecrow like Lauren. For once, I must admit that I agreed with Leah.

And oh yeah, Leah. She still hadn't apologized, and I refused to talk to her before she did. Both she and Quil, by the way.  
But it seemed impossible at the moment. Though Leah and Quil had made their peace (and I was glad about that, after all I care for them), Leah still seemed to be pretty pissed off about me and Bella. Jeez, why did she put so much hate into this?

So, I ignored them and ate lunch with Bella and her friends instead. I didn't know what I felt about Jessica and Mike (especially Mike), but Ben and Angela were nice.  
Every now and then I got hateful looks from Edward, but I only returned them with a smug smile. I wondered if Bella ever saw that, but I was just too darn happy to care.

Happy?  
Yes. I felt so... Different. Like I had shred off my old skin and adapted a new, better persona. I looked in the mirror every day, still surprised to see that I looked the same. Is it possible to feel like a different person but look the same as you've always have?  
Something was different, though. I think it was my eyes, which reflected my insides. At least that's what my dad said, after a night at the dinner table. He'd grinned at me, winked and then said;

"Things going well at school, hm Jacob?"  
I had just grinned at him and shrugged. He had it all figured out already, but he was pretending to be a cool dad. He knew that I was spending every evening after school with Bella.

Bella had meant what she said when focusing on math, too. We studied hard every day after school, and she got more and more better at Calculus every day. I was pretty sure that she would pass the test, but she was still nervous about it.

"What if I don't pass the test tomorrow, Jacob?" Bella asked, biting her lip.  
We were sitting in her room, and the sun was shining like crazy outside today. It lit up her purple room, that was a little bigger than mine but full with stuff; Photos covered the wall, the bed were full with pillows and teddybears, the desk were littered with paper.  
Not that I minded. I was completely relaxed around Bella now, and I was lying on her floor, having a pink pillow to support my head. My eyes were closed and my hands rested on my stomach. I couldn't believe that it had been three weeks since that day she had broken up with Edward. The test was tomorrow, and I had to admit that I was a little unhappy about that the time had went by so fast. I wondered what would happen after tomorrow, but I pushed that thought away.  
Damnit, I wasn't going to let all this stop. I was liked it all too much.

"Then you will fail. You will probably never get a proper job, and you will be working at Mc Donald's for the rest of your life"  
I was abruptly broken off by a pillow flying and hitting my face. My eyes shot open, and I sat up and looked at Bella were she was sitting on her bed, somewhere between the pillows and stuffed animals.  
I snickered at her, and she snorted.

"Very funny". She said, trying to sound a little mad. She didn't succeed.

"But seriously, you're going to be alright" I assured her, knowing that it would. I had a good feeling about tomorrow.

She sighed, but just a little. "Yeah, you're probably right. Anyway, I can't cram more math into my head right now. Wanna do something else?"

I'd been waiting for her to ask just that all day.  
Every time we had time over, either me or Bella would ask just that. Up until now, we'd done nothing extreme (like riding motorcycles), but we had seen a movie, watched some TV, and once she had even watched me while I fixed my bike (and Embry's, which I had promised to fix as soon as I told him about the accident) in my garage.

"Yeah, what do you wanna do?" I asked because I could see on her face that she had something in mind. I had guessed right.

"I am really craving coffee right now. Can we go to Starbucks?" she asked.

I smiled, but just a little. "You know that you can make your own coffee at home, right?"

Bella rolled her eyes at me. "Yeah, but you can't have a mocha frappuccino with cream and chocolate chips on top at home" she snorted, walking over to me and pushing me playfully on my shoulder.

I gotta say, even after we'd spent almost four weeks around each other, I still wasn't used to her touching me. Every time she tapped my shoulder when she wanted my attention, or when she pushed my chest playfully when I teased her, it felt like she had burned me with her hand. Or that she was electrical charged, and I was buzzed every time she went closer to me then normal.  
So I always went slightly stiff when she did touch me, but Bella seemed to be perfectly at ease.

It was a beautiful day outside, the sun was high in the sky and a lot of people were moving around outside, enjoying the first taste of the hot summer.  
We drove in Bella's truck, with the windows rolled down and the radio (which worked incredibly well for her old car) blasting on high volume. Her hair whipped in the wind as we drove, and she looked more beautiful then ever.

I smiled as Blink 182's old hit 'First Date' started playing on the radio. It was a tune I had heard many times, and it's easygoing melody seemed to fit my mood perfectly. Both Bella and I mouthed the lyrics along with the singer, and I thought if was a little ironic that I would hear that specific song this day. Maybe Bella thought of that as well, because she went quiet after that until the rest of the way to Starbucks.

You have to admit, that even though some people (like Leah) thought that Starbucks was overrated and pricey, they did make damn good frappuccinos. Bella had bought me one (after some argument over the payment, but she insisted that she owed me), and now we were both guzzling them up pretty quickly.

"I hate that these always go so quickly" Bella said, trying to fish up the rest of the ice with her straw. "Oh, brainfreeze" she added, holding her hand on her forehead, making a face.  
I chuckled at her, and then my eyes caught the door that just flung open right behind Bella. Oh crap.

"Uuuh, Bella" I started, trying to get her attention. She still had her eyes closed, and her hands were rubbing against her temples.

"What? Don't talk to me while I'm having a brainfreeze" she said, obviously not hearing the alarmed tone in my voice.

"I think we have bigger problems then that" I said, and she finally looked at me. I nodded silently in the direction towards the counter.

Edward and Lauren had just walked in and were now ordering. Lauren was wearing such a small skirt that it barely deserved to be called a piece of clothing, and she was all over Edward of course. By the look of their faces, it didn't seem like they had seen us.

"Oh crap" Bella said, totally agreeing on what I had thought earlier.  
Just then Edward turned his head a little and spotted us. Bella looked away so fast that Edward didn't caught her staring, but his eyes met mine for a second and I couldn't help but blush.  
Stupid, right? He was here with another girl and I still couldn't get rid of the feeling that I was doing something wrong. I mean, Bella and I had all right in the world to drink coffee together. She wasn't dating him anymore.  
Actually, he and Bella had been fighting about me. The thought of that always grew my confidence with several inches, and I straightened up in my seat. Now I felt better.

The only table that wasn't occupied was a table that was pretty close to me and Bella's though. I had a feeling that this wasn't going to be very pretty.

"You wanna go somewhere else?" I asked Bella, who was looking out of the window like she had seen something extremely interesting.

"Nope" she answered, and then she turned her head to me and smiled. "We were here first, after all". And then she went back to pick up her ice like nothing had happened.  
You had to give it to her, she was pretty tough.

It looked like Edward and Lauren wasn't backing down either, because they went to sit down at the table I had predicted that they would sit. Edward gave me the darkest look he could muster, and Lauren slid down her tank top some more so her boobs almost hopped out.  
This peaceful coffee-break had just turned into World War III.

Just then, Bella put her hair behind her ear and dragged her chair closer to mine. She was sure to scrape the metal chair against the floor so it made a lot of sound. Edward's eyes flickered towards us, and I guess that was the whole point.  
I tried to keep my position relaxed as Bella leaned closer to me, wanting to whisper something in my ear.

"Edward thought that I was sleeping with you while I was dating him - " her lips almost touched my ears, and I was so distracted by that fact that I didn't even react to what she was telling me - "and this is driving him crazy".

Wait, what?  
Just then I realized what she had said and I swear that I forgot to breathe. It took me a few seconds for me to start my breathing (and get my heart to beat again) and decipher what she had told me.  
I copied her movement, and went closer to whisper in her ear:

"So are you just hanging out with me to make Edward jealous?" I asked her, deciding that a bold question would be the best comeback for that comment. Jeez. Did she want to give me a heart-attack?

She looked puzzled, and then almost hurt. "No! Of course not!" she said loudly, which caught Lauren's attention. Bella shook her head and leaned closer again.

"Of course not, Jacob. I'm sorry if it came out that way". Her breath was hot against my ear, and I struggled not to show how darn happy I was. If she had said the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago, I would have fainted or had a really awkward situation to handle (hey, I am a teenage boy after all, I have hormones), but I was already back in a relaxed smile.

"Hey, it's okay Bella" I said and she smiled back at me. Then she frowned a little and whispered in a very, very low voice in my ear;

"I actually feel a little sorry for Lauren" she said, and I raised by eyebrows at her. "Edward hasn't even asked her to prom" she finished, and tried her best to look sad for Lauren. Didn't work though.

Prom, huh. I had almost forgotten about the whole stupid thing, but it was next week already.  
And I hadn't asked Bella. Well, I was going to, but every time I even thought about it my throat clogs up and I couldn't get out the words.  
But I needed to ask her soon. Mike was on the hunt, though he hadn't officially asked her yet, either. I wondered if he also was afraid of rejection.

_Tomorrow, I will ask her._ I thought, and it seemed like a good idea. After the calculus test probably, so Bella didn't have that to think about as well.  
It seemed like the perfect plan, and I was happy with myself as I finished the rest of my frappuccino.

"Let's get out of here. This place stinks, anyway" Bella said and stood up, making sure that Edward and Lauren could hear her. Lauren rolled her eyes at Edward, but he was busy staring at Bella. I couldn't help but let out a giggle, which I tried to cover up by coughing, so it sounded pretty strange. I smiled at my own sound, walking out of Starbucks as if I was king of the world.

I was almost to darn happy.

**Big things will happen I tell you, big things. This story is also coming to an end soon (don't bite me), so I'm pretty excited about finishing this up.  
Anyhoo, tell me what you think and me and the rest of the kangaroos here will thank you ;) /AB**


	7. Twice in a lifetime

**This story is developing exactly the way I imagined it. That's awesome :D **

**Well, hopefully I didn't kept you guys waiting for too long for this chapter. If it was, I promise that it will be worth the waiting. Enjoy!**

The day had come.  
It sounded like an opening to a epic battle between good and evil, but it was just another school day. With a calculus test in the morning. Which kind of, would decide my entire future.

Okay. I needed to stop being to dramatic.  
_Everything will be fine_, I told myself as I yawned loudly while looking out my window. It looked exact the opposite of yesterday – the sky was gray and cloudy. I should take it as a bad sign, but I didn't. I refused to be unhappy or moody today. This was the day I would ask my dream girl to prom. Today was the day all of my dreams came true.

I rushed through breakfast, eager to get to school as fast as possible. I had forgotten to ask Bella if she had any lesson during the morning, before the test, so I didn't know if she was in school already. But as I got there and had a look around I didn't see her, which disappointed me.  
_Oh well,_ I thought and shrugged. Only a morning pass to sleep through until I saw her. The Calculus test was completely irrelevant to me – It was the moments afterwords I was interested in.

I guess I was pretty nervous, because the time rushed by and soon the first lesson was over, leaving me to gather my stuff quickly.

"Nervous about the test, Jacob?"  
I turned around and saw Embry standing next to me. Even if I still didn't talk to either Leah or Quil, and didn't eat lunch with them, me and Embry still talked during our classes together. After all, he was my best friend – I didn't let something as stupid as the bickering between me and Leah get between us.

"Nah, I guess I will be fine" I shrugged my shoulders. Since Embry raised one of his eyebrows, I explained in a very hushed voice;  
"I'm going to ask Bella to the prom afterwords".

Embry's face lit up in a smile. "Good for you, bro. I'm surprised you haven't asked her yet"

I shrugged my shoulders again, but this time I smiled. "Yeah, I figured that she had enough to think about anyway, with the test and all".

Embry nodded as we went out the door, slowly walking to the classroom we had Calculus in. "You think she'll pass?"

"With me as her teacher, of course she will" I teased, and Embry laughed. Then I spotted Bella at the end of the corridor, and I said to Embry "See you later".

I thought that I heard Embry whisper "Good luck", but I wasn't sure because I was concentrating on Bella. She sure looked nervous, and she was holding her Calculus book to her chest like it was keeping her from collapsing.

"Bella, you will be fine" I said to her when she walked over to me. I wondered how many times I had said those exact words to her during the last week.  
She just nodded slightly, chewing on her bottom lip like she always did when she was worried.

"Well, if it all goes to hell at least I'll have an aspiring career at Burger King" she said, and I couldn't help but laugh. She chimed in, and she seemed to be at least a little less anxious when our teacher emerged and opened the classroom door.

I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to be reassuring, and I said; "Good luck"

"Good luck to you too, Jacob" Bella smiled at me and then we went to our seats.

Yep, I definitively had I good feeling about today. All of my nervousness had totally blown away, and I stretched out on my seat with renewed confidence.  
When the tests were handed out and the room had fallen silent, I looked at the questions. Easy-peasy. My tutoring hours with Bella hadn't just helped her, but it had helped me as well. I launched myself into a concentration-trance (is that even a word? I guess in math, it is), completely focusing on the numbers in front of me.

I finished the test pretty quick, and after a quick look on my answers, I went quietly and handed it in to Mr Anderson, who smiled at me. He was a pretty cool teacher after all, and he always let the students leave the classroom (if they did it quietly) when they had finished with their exams.  
I tried to sneak a look to how far Bella had come, but it was impossible to see. She seemed to be concentrating hard though, so I left the classroom and headed to my locker.

---

I waited.  
As time went by, more and more people got out of the classroom, some of them looking quite pale, other were grinning like they had nailed it. Embry came out after a long while, letting out a big sigh.

"That was something I don't want to do twice" he said, but then he smiled. "She seems like she's almost done"

"You think?" I asked, chewing on my nails. My nervousness had come back, and it was hitting me like a tidal wave. The corridors were deserted, and my voice echoed on the walls even though I was speaking in a lower voice then usual. Everyone was either doing exams themselves, or eating lunch.  
The door opened and my heart jumped, but it wasn't Bella coming out. I exhaled heavily.

"Jacob, I'm sure she will say yes. Relax" Embry told me, swinging his bag over his shoulder. "I'll be heading home now, since we have the afternoon off. Call me tonight and tell me how it went" he winked at me and then he headed for the door, leaving me alone again.

I began to feel restless and a bit nauseated again, so I paced back and forth in the corridor a little until I decided to have a look of what was going on inside the classroom.  
Silently, I walked up to the little window they had on the classroom doors and looked in. Ah, Bella was the last one in there. She was standing with her arms crossed in front of Mr Anderson, who I presumed was correcting her paper.  
Well, there was of course one benefit with failing classes – The teachers corrected your tests straight away, since they at least had a little sympathy against the students who were agonized for days, waiting.

I quickly walked back to my locker, that was a couple of doors away. Great, now I was nervous about asking Bella out _and _worried about if she did pass. In a couple of minutes, I would have to talk to her, and I had to ask her. I couldn't wait any longer. It was a miracle that she hadn't gotten a date yet.

I was having a little mini break-down by my locker when the door to the Calculus classroom flew open with such force it banged against the wall. I jumped at least three feet in the air, making a little yelp that probably sounded a little girlish.  
I barely had time to collect my emotions when Bella started running at me. Of course – who else would make such a dramatic scene?

"_Jacob, I did it! I got a freaking B PLUS!_" Bella screamed, while she was running towards me, waving her test in the air like it was a golden ticket to Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory. The similarity of the scene got me laughing, so I wasn't exactly prepared when Bella lunged at me like she was a little kid, holding her arms around my neck for her dear life.

Naturally, I staggered a bit, almost falling over on my back. Then I straightened, and hugged her back as hard as I could without strangling her.

"Congratulations. I knew you would make it" I told her, still laughing softly. I was so happy for her – a B plus would definitively help her pass this course.  
I did a little swirl, like she was a little girl, and Bella laughed like one, all giggly-bubbly and happy. Then she climbed off me, which was slightly disappointing but completely necessary. If she'd hugged me any longer I might go absolutely crazy. I was already bubbling with happiness and, weirdly, anxiety.

Oh, right. I was asking her to prom. That was a sure thing to be anxious about.

Bella smiled at me from ear to ear, showing me her paper. It had a big 'B+' drawn in red in the corner.  
"I seriously could never imagine in my entire life that I would do so well on a math test. Without you, I would never had made it. You're incredible, Jacob"  
I felt my cheeks going hot, and I tried to shrug my shoulders a little, to be casual. I failed on the casual part.

"I don't know how I will ever repay you for this" Bella said, looking at me with her huge brown eyes, flashing me a brilliant smile.

I could not begin to explain how perfect the timing was. It was like God had decided that today would be my day, Jacob Black's day, were every wish I ever had came true. I felt such a warm feeling spreading in my stomach, filling me with happiness and calm. I swallowed hard, and then I said;

"Well Bella, there is one thing I'd like to ask you..." I started, and she looked at me with an interested smile on her face. Now there was no turning back.  
"I was wondering if you wanted to go to pro..."

"Bella, can I talk to you for a minute?"

I was so chocked that I stopped speaking in the middle of my question, my mouth still forming an 'o'.  
Edward Cullen was standing a few feet away from Bella, with his arms crossed and a look on his face that I couldn't describe. How long had he been there? And how much had he seen?  
My cheeks burned slightly again, feeling somehow exposed. I thought that Bella and I had been alone up until now.

I wished desperately that I could see Bella's face, but she had her head turned to Edward. She remained completely still for a couple of very awkward and silent seconds, and then she finally said;  
"Okay then"

My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach. Okay, I was now convinced that God didn't exist, or else he had a very cruel sense of humor.  
Bella turned her head back to me. Her bubbly smile had vanished, and her eyebrows were already set in a deep frown.

"What did you want to ask me, Jacob?" she asked.  
No way I was going to ask her when Edward was standing behind her, looking all... Smug. Bastard.

"Never mind. It wasn't important. I'll ask later" I answered, trying to smile like it was nothing. Inside, I was having a rage fit. _Smug, rich, rude bastard._

Bella just nodded, and added "I'll talk to you later", and then turned away from me and walked over to Edward.  
The look on his face made me wanna puke. He grinned at me with a look on his face that made my stomach turn into a giant knot. That guy was up to something, and I sure as hell didn't like it. I resisted the urge to throw myself at him and knock his teeth out, and instead I turned away and left the two of them alone.

I walked to my car, dragging my feet after me. My good mood had blown away in an instant, replacing it with a sick sense of worry.  
This was _wrong_. Bella shouldn't be talking to Edward, especially when he had looked like that. And definitively not when I was trying to ask Bella to prom. For Christ's sake, did he had to interrupt right then? Couldn't he had waited for two more seconds?

I was muttering under my breath all the way home, hating Edward Cullen more for every second. Usually I wasn't a very hating person, but I needed to concentrate on something besides my complete humiliation a moment ago. How the hell should I ask Bella to prom now?

The sky was darkening for every minute now, matching my mood. It probably wouldn't rain (it was Phoenix, for Christ's sake), but it wasn't very pleasant either. I slammed my truck door shut, and hurried into my house.  
I decided that I wasn't hungry, so instead I grabbed a glass of water and went to my room. Since I wasn't in the mood to do anything, I just lay down on my bed, trying to push the annoying voices in my head away.

She's said that she'd talk me to later. She would probably call me as soon as she got home. Perhaps she was on her way home already?  
I glanced at my clock. It was still early, so maybe we could meet up later. We could talk and laugh about what Edward had talked about, and everything would be fine. Normal.

I kept repeating that in my head, trying to fight the worried feeling that was spreading inside of me. My eyelids dropped, and everything went dark.

---

I opened my eyes of what felt like a second later – But my room had become ominous dark. I looked at my watch, and it told me that I had slept for three hours.  
_Crap!_

I jumped out of my bed so quickly that I saw little colored dots, while my knees were giving away to my weight. Staggering, I held on to my shelf. Stupid low blood pressure. I shook my head a couple of times, trying to return to reality.  
Outside it was still day, but the clouds had gone darker and was blocking out almost every shred of daylight. I reached for my phone and flipped it open, but only to see that nobody had tried to call me and I had no new messages.

O-kay. It had been three freaking hours. What was going on?  
The sick worry hit me so hard that I felt nauseated all over again. I took the glass of water that I hadn't touched, and swallowed it down in one whole gulp. I heard noises downstairs, which meant that my dad was home.

The way I saw it, I had only two options – One, keep waiting until Bella called me, and if she didn't, worry myself to death until school tomorrow. Two, call Bella and ask what the hell was going on and hopefully driving over to Edward's house and kick his ass.  
Okay, scratch that last part. Ass-kicking wouldn't do any good except making me feel better.

I made a compromise. If I hadn't heard from Bella in one hour, I would call her.  
So I sat down in my couch, deciding to watch some old episodes of 'Family Guy' while waiting.

I didn't have to wait long.  
Ten minutes later, I heard Bella's truck turning onto my driveway.  
The familiar roar of the engine made my heart jump, and I went to peek out the window. I was right, Bella was turning off the engine of her truck and getting out, walking towards my house.

I was past trying to seem cool about my feelings for her, so I rushed down the stairs faster than you can say "peanut butter with jam". I glanced quickly at the small mirror in my hallway and decided that I didn't look like I just woke up.

"I'll take it" I yelled to my dad while Bella knocked on the door. He mumbled something back, I guess he had heard the sound of Bella's car too. Then I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Her face was set into a smile, but that wasn't the first thing I noticed. It was her eyes. They looked... Wrong. And she had dark rings under them, like she had either been crying or hadn't slept in days.  
"Hey" she said, and before I could answer, she added quickly; "I need to talk to you"

"Uh, okay" I answered, sounding stupid. "You wanna come in?"

"No, this will only be quick" she said, and the bad feeling in my stomach kicked up a notch.  
I nodded at her, walking out to my porch and closing the door behind us softly. After a quick look to make sure that my dad wasn't listening or anything, I turned to her.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying not to sound as worried as I actually was.

"Jacob, I can't see you anymore"

Her words hit me like a huge punch in the stomach, and I struggled to maintain my breathing. She had said it so matter-of-factly, and her tone was completely flat, her voice drained of emotions.  
I was completely taken back, so it took a few seconds for me to decipher what she had actually told me.

"What- What do you mean?" I asked, my voice sounding small.

Either she couldn't look me in the eyes, or she became very interested of her shoes suddenly. She kept her eyes on her feet as she spoke;  
"Well, I talked to Edward, and he's willing to take me back, after all. But you know how he is..." she said, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal "... and he didn't want me to see you anymore".

"I thought that you broke up with him?" I asked, because I didn't know what else to say. My head had started to spin, and the world felt oddly distant at the moment. The only thing I could focus on was Bella, and not trying to collapse.

"It doesn't matter" Bella said through her teeth, like I wasn't getting the point. Then she sighed. "Look – I'm sorry, but this is for the best. Edward and I... Well, we belong together."  
She tried to look up and smile at me, but it looked more like a grimace.

I couldn't believe what was happening. I think that I was having a chock of some sort, because I couldn't move or say anything. I just stared at her, while she said something else, but I didn't hear her. It was total chaos in my mind right now, and I could feel my face getting numb.  
I realized that this must be how it felt when someone broke up with you. Bella and I had never been together in that way though, but it didn't make this any easier.  
It felt like someone had sucked out all of my emotions. This had come so fast, and so harsh that I couldn't even react to what was happening. I could feel my eyes watering up, and I realized that I was on the verge of tears. I blinked furiously, trying to hide the fact that I was almost crying.

"Goodbye, Jacob" Bella said. I snapped my attention to her then, finally looking her in the face. She looked back, and it looked like she was thinking something over. Then, very hesitantly, she walked over and hugged me.

At first, I didn't move. I was still in chock, and I couldn't make my muscles work.  
But then I realized – with great pain – that this was the last time that I would hold Bella. Ever.  
So I made my arms move, and they closed around her, holding her tightly.

I thought that she would pull away pretty quickly, but she didn't.  
She buried her head in my neck, hugging me harder. I breathed in her scent, letting it temporary wash away all of the pain that was now starting to take a hold of me. My chest hurt so bad that I thought that it would actually explode. Why did mental pain always result in actual, physical pain? The term "she broke my heart" actually came into context here.

When she started to pull away, I loosed my grip around her very unwillingly. We had probably been embracing each other longer than what would be normal, but I didn't want to let go.  
But Bella didn't pull away quickly, either.

It felt like everything went in slow motion then.  
She stood on her toes, so that her head was almost in the same height as mine. She didn't move her body at all, which confused me. Then she moved her head so that her lips was almost on my ear.  
I shuddered pleasantly, not bothering to hide it. Her breath was warm on my cheek, as she moved her head so that her lips were barely touching my skin. My heart started racing, I could hear the pulse in my ears and I was getting hot, despite the chill breeze that ruffled my hair slightly.

She still had her arms around my neck when I felt her lips almost touch the corner of my mouth.

I knew that I wasn't imagining this. At the party I had thought for a second that Bella wanted to kiss me, but this time I _knew_ that she wanted to. She was lingering at her position, and we both had her eyes closed, completely relying on our other senses.  
Then I knew. This was _the moment_, the moment that I had almost thought passed when Bella puked her guts out a couple of weeks ago. This was the moment that Embry had been talking about, the one that only came once in a lifetime. Or in my case, two.

This time, I didn't hesitate.  
Very carefully, I turned my head so that we were facing each other directly, and I pressed my lips against hers.

I was almost certain that she would break it off early, and then walk away before it got more serious. But to my complete and utter astonishment, she was kissing me back the second after.

I had dreamed about this moment for almost two years, and I tell you; my dreams did not make the real thing any justice.  
Her lips were so soft and warm that it felt like I could go on forever. I took my hands and cupped her face gently, while she let her fingers run through my hair, a sensation that felt incredibly good. Our bodies pressed against each other, and our lips moved in perfect synchronization, like we had been programmed to do this since the first time we met. I didn't even have to think, I just acted out what my body told me to do.  
And when she opened her mouth slightly and I could feel her sweet breath against the bottom of my lip, her tongue lightly touching it, I felt like I was going to explode with all the passion and heat I was feeling.

I can't remember how it lasted.  
It did feel like time stood still, like the world paused when we kissed. But when she abruptly broke it off, it felt like it hadn't been long enough. Not nearly.

She looked about as dazed as I felt. While taking a step back, she blinked a few times, like she had been blinded by a flashing camera. Then she said;  
"I'm so sorry, Jacob. I-" Bella started, but didn't finish that sentence. She just shook her head, looking down again. "I- I think that I need to go now"

No, no way. She wasn't going to disappear like that, not after this. I was already high on adrenaline, and my wave of emotions quickly turned into... Anger? Maybe. Frustration, more like it. I was having an all-body high, so I wasn't my usual self. And by the way, I was sick of pretending that I was fine with this.

"I love you Bella, did you know that?"  
My voice broke the weird moment between me and Bella, and after I said it, I knew that there was no turning back. I could have just let her go, and what had happened would be just between me and her, and we would never speak of it again. Maybe that had been better.  
But now I had said it, and there was no way that I could take it back.  
Bella didn't say anything. She just looked at me, her face slightly surprised but yet smooth.

"I have loved you ever since I first saw you" I continued. What was the point of keeping secrets now? "Listen, I don't know Edward. But I know that I will treat you right, like he never will. I promise that I will, if you just give me a chance"

Bella remained in her position, still not saying anything. I didn't know if that was good or bad.

"Please" I added, hating how pleading I sounded.

She was quiet for a second or two, and then she finally spoke.  
"I need to go now"

I felt my last streak of hope being crushed into a million little pieces. If I ever got hit in the face by a concrete wall moving in a hundred miles an hour, I was sure that it couldn't be worse than this.  
It was a miracle that I was still standing up when Bella slowly turned and walked back to her car. She didn't even look back.

I stood in the exact same position when she started her truck and drove away. And just as sudden as she had came into my life, she was gone.

This whole episode couldn't have lasted more than five minutes, but it felt like hours. My entire body felt battered and beaten, and my mind was exhausted.  
But I had never felt so empty in my entire life. My chest was hurting like hell, and my breathing was shallow. My throat had clogged because of a giant lump that had suddenly appeared, so it was hard to breathe normal. Apart from that, I felt like a hollow shell.

Somehow I managed to move and open the door to my house. As I closed it carefully, my dad called out from the living room;  
"Did Bella go home already?"

Right. I had almost forgotten about my dad. "Yeah, she had something to do" I called back, surprised how calm I sounded. I didn't want my dad to peek out and see me like this.

He didn't come out, so I walked up the stairs to my room. Every step felt like I was running in water, like my body weighed twice as much.

And with great effort, I closed the door to my room and collapsed on the bed.

**God, I hate torturing Jacob like this :( Believe me, it wasn't easy writing this chapter. It was like I was re-living all of the bad breaks-up I had (well, it's not THAT many...) all over again. It wasn't fun then, and it sure wasn't fun now. **

**Oh well. This isn't the end of the story, more will come. What did you guys think that Edward told Bella, by the way? It's one of those things that won't be covered in the story, so you are free to make your own assumptions. But tell me what you think, it will be interesting. :) **

**Anyway, I will try to update soon. /AB**


End file.
